This project was built and designed by Stan Sullivan, a skilled woodworker and the creator behind Simply Easy DIY. This elegant wine rack offers a stylish and compact way to store your favorite bottles without taking up too much wall space.
Stan revisits classic wine storage ideas with a vertical twist, resulting in a design that’s both practical and visually appealing. With clean joinery, quality hardwood, and straightforward techniques, this is a rewarding project that fits easily into any woodworking skill set.
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Why Store Wine Vertically?
Wine racks are traditionally built with bottles lying flat to keep corks moist and prevent oxidation. But for bottles with screw tops or synthetic corks, vertical or angled storage can work just as well—and sometimes better.
Stan’s rack keeps bottles tilted at a slight angle, keeping corks in contact with the wine while allowing for airflow and easier access. It’s a balanced approach that fits modern storage needs while maintaining a sleek presentation.
Tools and Materials Needed
While Stan doesn’t provide a detailed cut list in the video, he emphasizes using high-quality hardwood for strength and appearance. The project uses minimal material overall, making it ideal for offcuts or smaller stock.
Essential tools include a miter saw (or table saw), a thickness planer, a drill press, and a router with a round-over bit. Precision is key, especially when it comes to cutting the bottle slots and creating the center dado.
Milling and Prep Work
The first step is cutting the boards to rough length and sending them through the planer for a consistent thickness—typically around 5/8 inch. This is especially important for the wine slot section, where accuracy keeps the bottles secure.
For the back piece of the rack, Stan laminates two boards together using wood glue and clamps. This creates a more rigid foundation for mounting the vertical slot assembly and adds a professional look to the final piece.
Laying Out and Drilling the Bottle Slots
To lay out the bottle holders, Stan marks evenly spaced centerlines down the length of the board—about three inches apart. Crosshairs help position each hole for drilling.
Using a Forstner bit on a drill press, Stan carefully removes the material to form half-moon slots. A sacrificial board underneath helps reduce blowout on the back side and keeps the cuts crisp.
Each bottle slot is drilled cleanly through the edge of the board, forming a curved opening where the bottle neck will rest. Consistent spacing and alignment here ensure a balanced look and safe support for each bottle.
Refining Edges and Routing Details
After drilling, rough edges are smoothed using a router with a round-over bit. This not only improves the look but also makes the rack safer and more comfortable to handle.
Routing the edges of both the bottle slot board and the back panel helps tie the design together. The round-overs give a soft, finished feel while keeping the build approachable for intermediate skill levels.
Assembling the Rack
The slotted board is attached to the center of the back panel using a long dado cut for alignment. Stan routes the dado directly down the middle of the back board to hold the wine slot piece securely in place.
This joinery method allows for a clean glue-up without relying on nails or screws. Once dry, the connection is strong and seamless, keeping the overall design minimal and elegant.
Applying the Finish
With assembly complete, Stan sands the rack and prepares it for finishing. The final look is up to the builder—clear coats, stains, or even bold paint colors can all work depending on the space it will live in.
Stan’s version is left natural to highlight the wood grain. The simplicity of the vertical design makes it blend well into kitchens, dining rooms, or home bars without overpowering other decor.
Filling It Up
After the finish dries, it’s time to add the wine. The angled slots hold each bottle in place securely, offering both visibility and access.
This rack is ideal for smaller collections or for keeping a few go-to bottles within arm’s reach. It’s also easy to customize by increasing the number of slots or adjusting spacing for different bottle sizes.
A Compact, Classy Project
Stan’s vertical wine rack is a great example of how woodworking doesn’t have to be complex to be impressive. With a few solid cuts and some attention to layout, you can build something that’s useful, good-looking, and easy to display.
Whether it’s your first wine-related project or one more to add to the list, this one checks all the boxes—clean joinery, great function, and a small footprint.
Get Stan’s plans here: https://www.simplyeasydiy.com/2016/10/diy-vertical-wine-rack.html.